Wear compensating unit for rail joints



Jan. 17, 1928.

,6 6,5 2 v. c. ARMSTRONG WEAR COMPENSATING UNIT FOR RAIL JOINTS Filed Dec. '7. 1926 glwiwnl tw :2 aflrnwi'rm g,

manta Jan. 1 7,192 8.

UNITED STATES 1,656,552 PATENT OFFICE.

VICTOR C. ARMSTRONG, F HAOKENSACK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOB TO THE RAIL JOINT COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,

A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

wean oomrnnsa'rme UNIT ron' nan Jom'ra Application filed December 7, 1920. Serial a... 153,144.

This invention relates to an improvement flange or apron 1 adapted to lie betweenthe in rail joint construction and has for its chief object the provision of a novel wear compensating unit possessing special utility i as a means for reclaiming old or worn rail joints whereby rail joint bars which have become worn by the working of the ra1l in a joint canbe utilized again with elther old rail or new rail.

To that end the present invention contemplates a novel construction of wear compensating unit in the form of a metallic shim of such a form and construction as to compensate for wear at the top of the joint bar as well as at the underside of the rail heads of the rail ends within the joint without the necessity of grinding off or otherwise removing the burr, fin, or (projection of metal which is usually produce at the medial portion of the top of the bar bythe wearing down of the same" while in service. In the rformance of that useful and desirable unction the present invention is intended as an improvement upon the two-part or d1- vided shim construction of my Patent 1,615,-

500 anted January 25, 1927.

VVIiile the invention is necessarily susceptible of structural modifications without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, a preferred and practical embodiment is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which i y Fi re 1 is a perspective view of a wornrail oint which has beenrestoredto form and fit by the use of the novel shim construction contemplated by the present invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the joint shown in Fig. 1 with the joint bar removed to illustrate more clearly the position and 40 form of theshim.

Figure 3 is a detail perspective view of the novel shim constructlon.

Figure 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view 1 through the shim at its central pprtion indi- 46 eating by dotted lines the relation theretoof the worn head of the joint bar.

Figure5 is a detail elevational view showing a modified form of the shim, indicating how the central clearance space can be pro; vided for in. another wa The improved shim designated gene'rall A is preferabl made of a grade and specifi: cation of stee capable of withstanding the pressure and wear of service and is usually of an angle formation having the depending or angle plate underside of the head of the joint bar B and the rail web and the upper wear flange 2 which is ada ted to occupy a position between the head sides of the rail heads. One of these shims is adapted to be used at each side of the 1 joint and each shim occupies the central or medial part of the rail joint, that is, the part of the joint within which the eatest wear has occurred, and in the app ication of a shim to a joint it is only necessary first to loosen the bolts so that the 'oint bars ma be eased oil from the rail en s, after whic the shim is inserted in place between the head of the bar and the adjoining rail ends. Then by re-tightenin the bolts the joint is restore to proper orm and fit so as to satisfactorily hold the rails R in proper alignmentas to surface and auge. 7 Each shim or angle'plate is of. a double taper formation. That is to say, the shim is tapered from its center toward both ends so that the thickest part of the shim lies at the center of .the joint where the greatest wear has taken place, while both ends of the shim are thinned down, preferably to'a wafer thickness so with the shim in place the joint bar when ti htened against the rails will take a satis actor head fishing throughout from end to en In addition to the double ta ered formation of the shim the shim body is provided in its central part with a clearance space 3' which is formed in the upper wear flange 2 in a location to receive, and provide clearance for, the upstanding burr, fin or projection of metal, marked X, at the head of the worn bar, thereby obviating the expense and time that would be required to trim, grind or hammer down such burr, fin or projfction of metal, as would be necessary f t e worn bar was to be reused on an old or new rail without shims of the character described and claimed herein. In carrying out. the invention it will. be obvious that the clearance space 3 may be provided indifferent ways. "For instance as shown in Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings rovision is made for this clearance space y notching or cutting out the metal in the central part of the u er wear ange'2, but I in some cases it wo ti be enti ly practical to provide the necessa clearance for the pro ection of metal on e head of the worn l of the bar and the under- 60 bar by roovin or channeling as at 3* the undersi e of t e upper wear flange 2 as suggested by the modification of Figure 5 of the drawings. It will however be obvious that other structural modifications, to provide clearance spaces of the kind necessary for the purposes of this invention, can be resorted to without departing from the scope of the invention or sacrificing any of its principles.

I claim 1. A wear compensating unit for rail joints consisting of a metallic shim tapering in thickness toward both ends, said shim having at an intermediate point a clearance space for metal projections on the joint bar.

2. A wear compensating unit for, rail joints consisting of a metallic shim of angular cross-section and tapering in thickness toward both ends, said shim having at an intermediate point a clearance space for metal projections on the joint bar.

3. A wear compensating unit for rail joints comprising a metallic shim of angular cross-section and tapering in thickness toward both ends, said metallic shim having in its upper flange a centrally located notch or cut-away portion forming a clearance space for pro ections of metal on the joint bar head. 1 I

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

VICTOR G. ARMSTRONG. 

